Carl Albert Nürnberger Fine Sterling Round Frog Violin Bow – Markneukirchen circa 1920

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I grew up in the New York/New Jersey area. With close to eight million people and well before “Antiques Road Show” my dad and I gathered quite a collection of instruments and bows with no help from cell phones or computers. With a decade of collecting as a teenager with my dad from 1974 to 1984, we purchased hundreds of violins and violas, and over 1,200 decent bows, mostly German. I really had no idea what I was looking for. If the stick and/or violin was in decent condition, we bought it. As a young kid I was totally into carving, instrument restoration, and Mets baseball. My dad was a fantastic bird carver. If you come to the violin shop you can see some of my dad’s birds. Somehow, I have 10 of his carvings that did not get sold. They are here in the shop, and a few are at my home. Many times we came away with 3 or 4 bows in one violin case. They were usually shabby looking, lacking luster, full of dirt, and with ravaged hair in a case. At the time the bows were always a second thought of what we collected in instruments. This Nürnberger violin bow has just been completed, brought back to life after a hibernation of 43 years hanging in my home workshop.

Carl Albert Nürnberger 1885-1971, after completing his apprenticeship in his father’s respected shop, made the Nürnberger workshop of the 1920’s into one of the most famous sites for bow making. The family name extends from the mid 1700’s to 1994. Carl Albert Nürnberger’s workmanship is exceptional and every cut, inlay, silverwork, and intentional facet was done with precision and made in the classical proportions of the family models. Carl Albert was a gifted businessman and leader. He had that exceptionalism in never settling for average work that was endowed to him. We are glad to offer this stick which is in near mint condition.

The head of the bow is his standard model, which was inspired by F. X. Tourte, that he repeatedly used during his career. The frog is a round violin model frog, it gives the appearance of a viola stick, but no, it is a violin bow. The head has a strong rounded nose as the wood is tight grain pernambuco with the typical natural, satiny surface treatment of the stick, hand rubbed with a cotton cloth using linseed oil. The pernambuco is fantastic and the careful incrementation of the stick is something to study by the centimeter. The camber starts rather quickly after the head of the bow, and the round section stick is firm. The tip facial is original. The frog and button have classic lines and is one of the models used by the family from the early 1900’s. The frog contains single pearl eyes and the rounded frog heel is pinned. The lining of the bow is also held in place with original fine pin work, not small copper screws. I have replaced the winding with a sterling tinsel wind and leather thumb. The winding has a maroon silk accent interwoven to give a beautiful visual to the bow. The bow is fantastic, ready for another player. A one hundred year old bow looking for a new home showing Carl Albert Nürenberger’s stunning craftsmanship.

Weight fully haired 61.4 grams